CARLISLE, Mass. — A man who lost his legs in the Boston Marathon bombings, then helped authorities identify the suspects, is engaged and an expectant father.

Jeff Bauman, 28, and his fiancee, Erin Hurley, 27, told The Associated Press in a recent interview that the baby is due July 14. They don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl, and they want it to be a surprise.

Additional Photos

Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman acknowledges cheering fans before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park on May 28, 2013, before the Red Sox played the Philadelphia Phillies. The Associated Press

“My mom loves it. My dad’s going crazy,” Bauman said. As for himself, “I just want to be a good dad.”

The two have been preparing for the baby’s arrival by painting a nursery in their home in Carlisle. Hurley said Sunday that she and the baby are healthy and her pregnancy is going well. They became engaged in February and together picked out a white-gold engagement ring. She said they plan to marry next year.

“We’ve got a lot going on. So we don’t need to do everything all at once,” she said.

An AP photo of a badly injured Bauman being rushed away in a wheelchair by three rescuers became one of the most memorable images of the April 15, bombings, which killed three people.

He was standing near the finish line waiting to cheer on Hurley as she completed the marathon when the two bombs exploded. Bauman became a hero after he provided a description of one of the suspected bombers from his hospital bed.

Bauman’s memoir on his experiences, called “Stronger,” is out April 8, one week before the anniversary of the bombings.

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